Dear John 2
by ohemgitsal
Summary: This story takes place where Nicholas Sparks left off. Is there another chance for John and Savannah after many twists and turns?
1. Chapter 1

**~ One ~**

_**2008**_

_Timothy Wheddon, of Lenoir, North Carolina, died Wednesday, December 10, 2008 in Caldwell Memorial Hospital after a 4 year fight against Melanoma, a disastrous skin cancer._

_ Born in Lenoir, North Carolina, January 23, 1982, to the late Timothy Sr. and Patricia Wheddon, Timothy (better known as Tim) was an excellent student and talented musician. He attended Caldwell Community College for two years until the tragic death of both parents, forcing him to raise his younger brother, Alan. _

_ Tim was involved with "Habitat for Humanity" and "Hope and Horses", both charitable causes. He was an avid outdoor adventurer and enjoyed swimming, surfing, and running. He chose to live his days out his days in North Carolina because he grew up there, loved the people, and loved the endless amounts of possibilities it had to offer. _

_ Tim is survived by his wife, Savannah, and his brother, Alan. No other family members are known._

_The funeral service will be held at 2:00 December 16, 2008 at Greer-McElveen Funeral Home and Crematory. Donations can be made to the American Cancer Society._

I threw the newspaper on the coffee table and leaned back against the couch cushions, unable to believe what I had just read. Tim…good ole Tim…the Tim that stole the love of my life out of my hands…the one who I sold all my father's coins to help treat him…the Tim that was now dead. My thoughts became foggy and I soon felt a throbbing headache. I looked up at the ceiling, still not able to process the information.

After about twenty minutes of sitting still, I jumped up and walked into the kitchen. I swung the medicine cabinet open and snatched the bottle of Advil that was screaming my name. I washed down two of the little tablets with water. The effect of the drug soon set in and my head felt numb. I became drowsy and stumbled into my bedroom, falling face first onto my bed. When I dozed off into darkness, I dreamt of Tim.

When I woke up three hours later, reality set in immediately. I grabbed the phone to call someone to deliver the news of Tim's death, but then realized I had no one to call. My father was dead and now Tim was dead. My ex-girlfriend was grieving the loss of her husband and my best friend was stationed in Iraq, blowing up God knows what. I sat on the edge of my bed and cried quietly, the tears streaming out of my eyes.

What else was there to do in life? I retired from the army two years ago and decided to move into an apartment in Wilmington. I still wasn't used to the way things were and I sometimes found myself dialing Savannah's number or driving to my father's house to see how he was doing. I hated my life.

As my selfishness began to fade, I started to wonder about Tim's death. I had sold all of my father's coins to anonymously pay for Tim's treatment which would allow him to escape from the hospital and come home. I suppose the treatment didn't work and he just fell more ill. Though Tim had taken Savannah away from me, I had a soft spot for him.

The thought of Savannah gave me goose bumps on my arms. I was still in love with her; that was a fact. She was perfect in every way imaginable; a girl like that is hard to find. If I hadn't been so selfish and just left the army to be with her, I'd probably have my arms wrapped around her right now, watching our two little kids run around and play with each other. As much as it was her fault for loving someone else, I was to be blamed as well.

The last image I had of her was from when I saw her two years ago. It was nighttime and she wandered out of her house and looked up at the moon. I was sitting on a hill, watching her as she sipped her wine and enjoyed the quietness. As I looked up at the moon, I felt as if we were together again. The moment didn't last long; in fact, Savannah went back inside the house a few minutes later.

Waking up from my day dream, I glanced at the calendar. It was December 12th, four days before the funeral. I knew I had to go. There was no way I couldn't show up. I walked over to my closet and rummaged through some shirts and jackets until I found my enlisted soldier uniform. This was a dark gray suit that men in the army wore to funerals and other important events. It held a coin-shaped U.S. insignia on the right collar of the jacket and an insignia of my career specialty on the left collar tip, with nothing on the lapel. There were rank patches on both upper sleeves and other army badges around the collar. I took the jacket and pants off the hanger and held them out in front of me, making sure they were in good condition. I took out the ironing board from the hall closet and ironed the suit till it was wrinkle-free. As I hung it up on the door, my heart almost leaped out of my chest at the thought of seeing Savannah once again.


	2. Chapter 2

**~ Two ~**

I clasped my hands together as I entered the Greer-McElveen Funeral Home and Crematory four days later. There were dozens of people huddled in groups, crying and sharing tissues. I faintly recognized some of the faces that stared at me as I walked past them. I realized they were probably the people from "Habitat for Humanity", a group Savannah had introduced me to so long ago. I kept on a straight face and didn't bother to wipe the tears that were rolling down my face.

As I was about to take a seat in one of the back pews, I noticed two very familiar faces. They were Savannah's parents; I couldn't believe that my brain refused to let me remember their names. They noticed me immediately and dashed towards me, her mother grabbing my shoulders and holding me back in disbelief.

"John Tyree?" she gasped.

"Mrs. Curtis," I breathed, giving her a small smile despite the pain I was feeling. Savannah was an exact replica of her mother and the reminder of Savannah pierced through my heart.

"Oh John, you look great. I'm so glad you're safe from Iraq and it was so nice of you to come today," she sniffed, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief.

"I'm very sorry about your loss," I murmured, knowing how Tim was like a son to them.

"Thank you. Your condolences are greatly appreciated," Savannah's father said. "And thank you again for protecting our country. I'm glad you made it back okay."

"Thank you, sir. How's Savannah been?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.

"Horrible. She hasn't been able to stop crying. It took hours to convince her to come to his funeral. She's been a wreck," Mrs. Curtis whimpered, her eyes red and puffy.

The thought of Savannah being depressed truly broke my heart. "Oh God. What about Alan?" I asked, wondering about Tim's autistic brother.

"Alan's handling it even worse. He's becoming violent and even went as far as hitting Savannah."

"Oh my God," I gasped. "Is she okay?"

"She's fine…she just had a bruise on her arm. But still, that's no excuse. Alan's going to be put in a special institution for autistic children. Savannah can't take care of him all by herself."

"Wow," I murmured, my heart breaking for the family. I rocked back and forth on the heels of my feet, not knowing what else to say.

Mrs. Curtis looked at her husband for an excuse to end the conversation. "Well, I believe the service is starting soon. We're going to go see how Savannah's doing. Thank you again for coming here. I know it'd mean a lot to Savannah if she knew you were here," Mr. Curtis said, shaking my hand. I hugged Mrs. Curtis and nodded as they walked off to the front pews. I didn't see Savannah anywhere so I decided to sit in the last pew, secluded from everyone. I was sitting there for only a few minutes when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned to my left and saw a man I disliked for _so _many reasons. He had an annoying smirk on his face and it took all my willpower to not punch him in the face.

"Randy," I hissed, anger boiling under my skin.

"John! Long time no see. It's unfortunate to see each other again at a place like this," Randy said. He used to be Savannah's friend from "Habitat for Humanity" and even had a crush on her. I got into a fight with him and ended up breaking Tim's nose. Oh, the memories…

"Yeah, real unfortunate," I muttered, turning my back to him to break the conversation. I hoped he'd get the hint to leave me alone, but he's too stupid. I shouldn't have expected so much.

"How've you been?" He asked it as if nothing ever happened between us.

"Fine…yourself?" I replied, trying to control my anger.

"I've been fine as well. It's a shame about Tim, isn't it?" Randy didn't sound the least bit sincere.

"Yeah, it is a shame."

Randy nervously fiddled with the buttons of his black shirt. Finally he said, "Yeah, well I guess I'll see you around. Nice seeing you again."

"Yeah, same here. Oh and by the way," I began, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt, "if you think that Tim's death is a way to get to Savannah and you try flirting with her, I will personally beat the living shit out of you." Then I pushed him back and watched as he gave me a frightened look and ran to one of the front pews.

I sat back and pretended not to notice the stares people were giving me as they walked past me. No one sat by me; not that I was surprised. I still hadn't seen a trace of Savannah and soon became nervous that she left or decided not to come after all. But then the room became silent and I saw a minister walk on stage to the wooden podium in front of the white casket that held Tim's lifeless body. All guests were seated in the pews, quietly sobbing or holding onto someone.

"Let us commend Timothy Wheddon to the mercy of God. Please do not forget that funerals are for the living, not the dead. We are here to celebrate the life of young Timothy, whom God has taken from us because he needed yet another angel. Timothy will be missed greatly; he is in heaven alongside his mother, Patricia, and his father, Timothy Senior. The love Timothy has received throughout his battle with this sickening disease has been overwhelming. Let us pray for Timothy and his family," the minister spoke. Everyone bowed their head as they sent silent prayers up to God for Tim. After a minute, the minister looked up and said a few more prayers. After that, it was over.

Everyone stood up and walked into another room which held memorabilia of Tim, including pictures, a slideshow of videos of him, and more. I left the pew I was sitting in and stuck thirty dollars into the jar for the American Cancer Society. Then I stood in the back of the room, not knowing where to go. And it was the moment after that when I fell in love again.


	3. Chapter 3

**~ Three ~**

"Oh my God," I heard a familiar voice gasp. It was a soft, quiet voice and I had to strain to understand what words were being said. I turned to the direction of the voice and my knees began to wobble.

Savannah was wearing her long, brunette hair down in waves and was wearing a black, one sleeved dress that flaunted her curves that I loved. She wasn't wearing any makeup but I still thought she was the most beautiful woman on the planet. Her big green eyes twinkled under the bright light and they were rimmed red. Her cheeks were tear-stained and she was being supported by her mother, who was holding onto her arm.

I stood still, not able to say a single word. I just looked at her in shock and used all my strength to keep me from falling down. She just stared at me, her gaze making my heart melt. I kept my hands at my sides and stood as straight as possible; shoulders back, head up. I felt as if I was in the army again and I was being drilled by my sergeant. I kept a straight face and held myself back from running up to her and kissing her on the lips.

"John," she finally managed to whisper. She covered her mouth with her hand and shook her mother off of her.

"Savannah," I uttered, unable to say anything else. She was just as beautiful as I remembered her to be. Yes, she looked older, but her beauty never ceased to amaze me.

"John," she repeated, shocked.

"Savannah," I said, trying to hide the smile that was forming on my face.

"John," she said for the third time.

"It's me, Savannah," I sighed, unable to hear my name one more time.

"Why…why are you here?" she asked, her voice cracking.

"I thought I'd pay my respects," I answered with a straight face. I set my mouth in a straight line, expressionless.

"How…how…how did you know…that he…"

"His obituary in the newspaper."

The puzzled look on Savannah's face was now gone; in its place was a smile. "I can't believe you're here."

"Neither can I."

Savannah was at a loss for words. She nodded for her mother to go on without her, so Mrs. Curtis went into the other room. Savannah took small steps toward me, almost as if she was afraid to come near me as if I had some dangerously contagious disease. She stopped two feet in front of me.

"You look…different," she finally said after a minute of staring at me.

"I can't say the same about you," I replied, feeling awkward.

"Not a bad different," she quickly corrected herself, "a good different. You look more mature somehow. Like you've already learned all of life's lessons and you're waiting to pass them on to someone else. Bad analogy, I know."

"I see," I murmured. Then I remembered the reason why I was there. "I'm so sorry about Tim. I didn't know he became worse after the treatment."

"He was okay for a while, but he began growing weaker slowly. It was really-" she stopped mid-sentence, giving me a questioning look. "Wait…how do you know about his treatment?"

Shit. I forgot that Savannah didn't know I anonymously donated the money for Tim's treatment. Nor did I plan for her to find out. Some things are meant to be kept a secret.

"I heard about it," I lied, trying not to get caught in the lie.

"Oh. Well yeah, an extremely grateful person donated over a hundred thousand dollars for his treatment anonymously. It was the kindest thing anyone had ever done for me and my family. If only I knew who they were…I wouldn't even begin to know how to repay them. But I'm glad Tim spent some of his final days at home with Alan and me. That's where he belonged."

"I agree," I murmured, thinking of the wedding picture I had seen of Savannah and Tim at their home a few years ago.

"Well, I'm really glad you're here. I know Tim would've been so happy," Savannah smiled, probably imagining Tim's face.

"I hope so." I didn't know what else to say. I was speechless. Tim wasn't the only reason why I attended his funeral; the answer was obvious: Savannah. I was still in love with her and there was no denying it. I wanted her _so _bad, more than anything I'd ever wanted. But I knew that she wasn't over Tim. She needed to grieve before I even insinuated my feelings for her.

"I haven't seen you in two years," she observed, still staring at me.

"Two years for our lives to change drastically," I added.

Savannah nodded, not knowing what else to say. She looked me up and down and finally said, "I still can't believe it's you."

"It's me," I assured her. "But listen, I should probably get going. This is about your husband, not me."

Savannah just nodded, knowing I was right. "So, I'll see you soon then?"

I was shocked that she remembered that. Her and I said that to each other every time I left for deployment. But then I remembered that the last time she said it, I didn't respond. It was the last time I had ever spoken to her.

I bit my lip and then nodded. "I'll see you soon then," I whispered, hoping that my statement would somehow come true.

I didn't remember driving home from the funeral. I was in such a daze; I knew it was a mistake to go. Now I was still hopelessly in love with a girl who, more than likely, has no mutual feelings towards me. I just walked into my apartment and shrugged my suit off, feeling numb. I looked at my naked body in the mirror. Images of Savannah kissing my abs popped into my head. I could almost feel her tender touch on my body; it made me feel amazing. But I quickly snapped out of it and shook my head, as if trying to erase the thoughts from my mind. I grabbed a pair of white boxers and fell back onto my bed, not knowing what to do with my pathetic life.


	4. Chapter 4

**~ Four ~**

The letter came two days later. I was sitting at the kitchen table in a pair of red sweats and a gray t-shirt, shifting through the pile of mail. Bills, bills, more bills…what a shock. But when I came across an unfamiliar enveloped, I stopped and examined it.

There was a return address on the back of it, one I had never heard of. There was no name, so I didn't have a chance of knowing who it was from unless I opened it. "John Tyree" was scribbled on the front of it with a handwriting I felt was very familiar. The suspense finally killed me and I opened the envelope, only to pull out a folded letter.

Dear John,

I don't know why I'm writing this letter. I'm sitting at my kitchen table, staring at this nearly blank piece of lined paper; For once in my life, I don't know what to say. Regardless to what is going on in my life at the moment, I felt as if this letter was necessary. I needed to clear the air and tell you everything you want to know.

Your appearance at Tim's funeral made me truly happy. I'm so glad that regardless what happened with our relationship, you still considered me a friend. I feel the same for you and I know Tim did as well. Tim liked you a lot; he always wondered aloud why I picked him instead of you. I don't know the answer to that. Maybe I was desperate, maybe I was naïve, or maybe I was just plain stupid. But for whatever the reason, I don't regret it. I regret letting you go to Germany and Iraq for so many years. So many years that were spent with me sitting on the couch, clutching the picture frame that held a picture of you, sobbing. It was my fault for letting it go on so long. How was I supposed to know that my future husband was my best friend?

Tim helped me a lot during my rough time with you being gone. I felt as if I were missing a piece of my heart; Tim repaired it. I loved Tim, I hope you know that. I hope he knew that, too. He was an amazing friend and an even more amazing brother and role model to Alan. Tim taught me many things that I now know today. I'm more patient than I was. Spending so many hours teaching Alan how to ride a horse helped me in that department.

Seeing your face again changed my view on everything. You're still as handsome as I remember, though I would never admit it out loud. You're well mannered and you have a kind heart. You're the first man I fell in love with…nothing can change that. I still love you, John. Writing these words have brought tears to my eyes, so now you know where the wet marks on the paper are from. I am still in love with you, John. I need you. I know that you probably don't need me, but I sure as hell need you. I can't last a day without thinking of you or looking at the picture of you I still keep under my bed. It's crazy, I know. And admitting my love for you right after my husband dies isn't right, either. But I can't go another day without telling you how I really feel.

You may read this letter or you may throw it out in the garbage once you receive it. At this point, I don't really care. I just need to give myself the satisfaction that I let out my feelings for you. I'm not hiding anything anymore. I'm starting a clean slate.

If you do reply back, you'll make me the happiest girl alive. Don't think I'm desperate and talking to you only because I miss Tim. That is not the case at all. If anything, I used Tim because I missed you.

I'll see you soon, I hope.

Love,

Savannah

I read the letter over and over again until my vision became blurred with tears. The letter was exactly what I needed to read. My heart nearly jumped out of my chest and I knew I had to do something about it.

Savannah arrived at my doorstep three days later. She was wearing a brown hoodie and tight ripped jeans. Her brown hair was pulled back into a neat ponytail and she was wearing some eye shadow and mascara. There was a huge smile on her face and she was holding up the letter that I had sent her.

Dear Savannah,

I love you, too.

John.


	5. Chapter 5

**~ Five ~**

"I've missed you so much," Savannah sighed. She was sitting across from me at the dining room table, looking around nervously.

"Me too. You've had it rough," I admitted. I still couldn't believe I was sitting across the love of my life. A week ago I wouldn't have even given it a second thought. Now I couldn't believe my eyes.

"I know. Twenty one days ago I wanted to kill myself. But when I saw you at the funeral, I don't know what came over me. It was like my life was starting over. I fell in love with you again, John. I can't even begin to tell you how much you mean to me."

I gulped, not wanting to say what needed to be said. "You're telling me you love me right after your husband died. Where's the old Savannah?"

"She's right here," Savannah whispered, motioning towards her heart.

"Well, I miss her," I muttered, looking down.

"What do you want me to do, John?" she snapped. "My husband is dead. You showed up at his funeral, not knowing if you were there for him or me. I didn't have anyone else to turn to. I poured my _heart _out to you in that letter. I'm sinning; you don't have to keep reminding me. I'm going to hell for returning to you. I don't care anymore, John. I need to be loved." By now, Savannah was sobbing. She put her head down and continued to cry.

I pushed my chair back and walked over to her cautiously, afraid to touch her. I didn't know what to think. This was going way too fast. She wasn't right for coming back to me after Tim. This whole situation wasn't right. But I couldn't stand to see her cry. No matter what the matter was, I couldn't watch the tears escape her beautiful green eyes.

"Hey," I whispered, leaning into her ear. "If you need to be loved, you've come to the right man. I never stopped loving you, Savannah. I never will. You're the first and only girl I've ever truly loved. It will stay that way until my heart stops beating. I promise."

Savannah lifted her head up and gazed into my eyes. Our foreheads were almost touching; that's how close we were. I felt her warm breath on my face as she exhaled. I drew a ragged breath and leaned in closer until our noses were touching. Just as I was about to pucker my lips, an image of Tim watching over us popped into my head. I could practically feel his eyes on us, watching our every move. I gasped and pulled back, stumbling over a chair in the process and falling onto the floor on my backside. I winced as a flash of pain shot through my body.

"Are you okay?" Savannah exclaimed, crouching down beside me. I lifted my head up and groaned. More pain.

"Yeah," I managed to mutter.

"Why'd you pull back so suddenly?" she asked as I sat up.

"I can't kiss you," I agonized. "I want to kiss you but I can't. We both know that. I keep thinking of Tim and what he'd say if he knew about us right now."

"You're right," Savannah assented. "I'm sorry, John. I'm coming onto you way too fast. I guess this is a way to ease the pain of Tim's death. I apologize."

"Don't apologize," I told her. "I…I don't blame you."

Savannah bit her lip, not sure of what to do. After a long moment of silence, she said, "Maybe it'd be best if I just leave."

Knowing she was right, I nodded. "Maybe."

She had to use both of her hands to pull me up. I dusted off my jeans and looked her in the eye. "I'll see you soon, then."

She looked down at the floor. "I'll see you soon, then," she whispered hoarsely. Then, before I even realized what was happening, Savannah was out the door.


	6. Chapter 6

**~ Six ~**

How did I let my one true love leave my life just as things between us were getting better? I picked up a nearby picture frame that held a picture of my mother and threw it at the wall as hard as I possibly could. The frame shattered into shards of glass and I kicked the wall in my frustration. What the hell was I doing, I thought to myself as I crouched down and carefully picked up the remains of the picture frame. I stood up and threw them in the trash, brushing my hands off afterwards. I observed the big black circle on the wall that I had created and cursed under my breath. I made a mental note to pick up some cream colored paint to cover it up.

I sat back down at the dining room, feeling angry and hurt and confused and dazed all at once. One minute, Savannah's lips were inches away from mine; the next, she was nowhere to be found. I realized I should have kissed her while I had the chance; it would've brought back a flood of memories and she would've realized how much we were meant to be together.

I was being unrealistic, I know. But at the time, all I cared about was seeing her again. I knew that the only way to fix this was through a letter. I grabbed a blank piece of paper and began to write.

Dear Savannah,

I now realize that this letter should have been sent a long time ago. It should have been sent after I received the break up letter. I admit that I was too weak and upset to face reality. Therefore, I never wrote you back.

You don't have even the slightest idea how much you mean to me. I wanted to kiss you so bad. You don't understand the urge I have to wrap my arms around you and envelop you with kisses every time I see you.

I know that the simple words 'I love you' aren't enough. But yet, they are the truest words to leave my mouth. I know deep down inside that Tim would want us both to be happy. We both need to stop living in the past and focus on the future. Life is a gift and today is the present. I love you, Savannah. You mean the absolute world to me. When I look into your eyes, I know that everything is right in the world. Please give me a second chance. Give _us _a second chance. It is a proven fact that I am nothing without you.

John.

"Hold on," I called to the person at the front door. I slipped on a pair of sweats and a white guinea tee and ran to the front door, the bell ringing in my ears. It was a week after I sent the letter; I had been in a state of depression for those seven days. But what I was about to face surprised me and made my life a thousand times better.

I swung the door open and Savannah threw herself on top of me before I had a chance to process anything. She wrapped her thin arms around my neck and kissed my lips with no hesitation. I kissed back, wrapping my arms around her slim waist, enjoying every moment of the spontaneous kiss.

"I love you, I love you, I love you," she repeated over and over again between every kiss. I felt my shoulders relax as her tongue eased into my mouth, reminding me of what I've missed all these years. I grabbed her hand and led her to my bedroom, slamming the door shut behind her.

I didn't hesitate in quickly unbuttoning her navy blue cardigan and throwing it to the ground. After a few pulls and tugs on each other's clothes, we soon became fully naked and fell onto the bed together. Her warm skin felt so inviting; so right. And as we made love into the night, I was assured with the fact that nothing could ever go wrong.


	7. Chapter 7

**~Seven~**

When I woke up the next morning, I found Savannah sitting cross legged on the bed facing the window. A smile formed on my face after remembering everything that happened last night. I reached out and touched Savannah's waist. She didn't move.

"Savannah?" I said, sitting up. I rolled across the bed and sat right beside her. The night table next to her side of the bed was opened. In her hands was the letter from my lawyer, stating that the donation I made to Tim's treatment had been successful. Being Tim's anonymous donor was the last thing I wanted Savannah to know. "I can explain," I began.

Savannah looked up at me, her eyes red and swollen. "You…were…the one?"

I sighed and bit my lip. "Yeah."

"John," Savannah gasped, "do you realize what you did? You helped save a man's life…for a while, anyway. A man that I loved. A man that I left you for. Do you know what that proves to me? How much of an amazing person you are and how stupid I was to leave you in the first place. Thank you so much." Then she began to sob, just as I predicted.

"Don't worry about it," I murmured, wrapping my arms around her. I kissed her head and wiped away her tears. "I was glad to do it, Savannah. Tim was a great guy. He deserved to be treated."

**Authors Note:**

**Sorry I haven't updated in a long time! I've been busy with school and basketball and also writing two other stories on (Paranoia and The Reminder - Check them out!) Sorry this is such a short chapter. I promise to update soon with a long one...Reviews are greatly appreciated ! Thanks :)**


End file.
